MODULE TITLE
Grand Challenges: Climate Change: Mitigation,
Adaptation, or Geoengineering?
MODULE CONVENER
GRC1103 / GRC2103
MODULE CODE
TERM
1
2
3
DURATION
WEEKS
Yr 2, 11 weeks
Yr 1, 2 weeks
CREDIT VALUE
15
Diego Gomez, Peter Cox, and
Team
Number Students
70
Taking Module
(anticipated)
DESCRIPTION – summary of the module content
Grand Challenges modules provide you with an opportunity to tackle some of the world's greatest contemporary
issues in a week of interdisciplinary research in the Summer Term of your first year, culminating in a showcase of
your ideas. You will have the chance not only to work with industry heavyweights and local businesses as well as
some of our top academics and external specialists, but also with other students from across the University.
You will follow up the work you have done in Grand Challenges Week by continuing your project during the first term
of the academic year – which could include, for example, developing an app, organising an event, setting up a
charity or implementing a social media campaign. The module will help provide you with both practical and
academic skills to take forward into your degree and future career. The module part of the program will require you
to present a report on your work and the design/development of your output.
This Climate Change program explores technological and societal challenges, and environmental impacts and
implications, associated with Global Climate Change. The program takes an introductory look at the policy and
technology solutions available, and allows students to creatively explore out-of-the-box solutions, from the point of
view of University of Exeter’s world-leading researchers in this area. In particular, the use of unconventional and
emerging technology such as social media, fashion, mobile apps, geoengineering, etc.
MODULE AIMS – intentions of the module
In this module, we aim to provide you with a research-inspired, innovative, multi-disciplinary, enquiry-led learning
experience and encourage you to improve your employability and academic skills whilst tackling one of the world's
greatest contemporary issues. The module is student-led, enabling you to work with fellow students to shape your
own educational experience.
The module aims to allow you to use and develop your skills and knowledge to make a real difference in a
challenging, fun and engaging environment, whilst working and networking with employers, alumni, honorary
graduates, local businesses and the local community.
More specifically, this module aims to give students a broad vision and perspective on global climate change: its
mechanisms, impacts upon the environment, the technologies that can be employed to mitigate its effects, and
adaptation strategies. Students will be encouraged to do their own research and explore the challenges that climate
change present.
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES (ILOs) (see assessment section below for how ILOs will be assessed)
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
Module Specific Skills and Knowledge:
1
2
3
4
Identify important problems and challenges facing our world today from an interdisciplinary perspective
Propose and critically evaluate potential solutions to problems
Complete group projects successfully, including collection of information and presentation via a chosen method
Identify the principal causes of climate change and the evidence for them;
1
Module Descriptor Template Revised October 2011
5
6
7
Explain the principal risks of climate change for global societies;
Undertaking analysis of complex, incomplete or contradictory areas of knowledge, precedent and practice;
Application of scientific output to social policy and analysis
Specific Skills and Knowledge:
8
9
10
11
Reading research literature pertinent to climate change and its effects;
Analysing and combining data from a variety of sources;
Communicate ideas, principles and theories effectively and fluently using a variety of formats in a manner appropriate to
the intended audience
Collect and interpret appropriate information and complete research-like tasks, drawing on a range of sources, with limited
guidance
Personal and Key Transferable/ Employment Skills and Knowledge:
12
Undertake independent/self-directed study/learning (including time management) to achieve consistent, proficient and
sustained attainment
13
Work in a small team and deal proficiently with the issues that teamwork requires (i.e. communication, motivation,
decision-making, awareness, responsibility, and management skills, including setting and working to deadlines)
Reflect effectively on learning experiences and summarise personal achievements, including recognising and articulating
employability skills gained during this module
14
SYLLABUS PLAN – summary of the structure and academic content of the module
This module will be based on team work within interdisciplinary enquiry groups, each of which will focus on an
aspect of the overall challenge. The details of each enquiry group will vary from year-to-year based-on the interests
of the academics engaged in the challenge. However, it is anticipated that the enquiry groups will employ a range of
approaches to address themes that span the scientific, technological, and societal challenges associated with
tackling climate change. Tentative enquiry groups, subject to change, are:
a) Climate App: designing an App to engage the public about CC; in collaboration with the Met Office and
local Web Development Companies
b) Climate Viral; designing a CC communication that will ‘go viral’ on facebook or twitter; can you get more
‘shares’, ‘likes’ and ‘retweets’ than previous years?
c) Climate Myths: debunking myths surrounding climate science; can you produce a film that highlights the
key points in an engaging and innovative way?
d) Climate Budget: if Bill Gates gave you all his $100 Billion to deal with the climate problem, what would be
the best thing(s) to do? How do the figures stack-up?
e) Climate Resilience: what is the best way to build the resilience of communities to the impacts of climate
change? How do we ensure the growing population gets enough water, energy and food to thrive in the
changing climate?
Each enquiry group will sketch-out their approach during Grand Challenges week, aided by an allocated PGR
student, and a contact academic. The enquiry groups will work up their prototype ideas into a full implementation
during the module, making use of lectures and master-classes from invited experts in diverse related fields such as:
 Climate Change Causes and effects
 Environmental impacts and threat to ecosystem services
 Modelling and prediction
 Adaptation and mitigation of catastrophic events
 Management of water resources and rainfall changes
 Renewable energy technologies and policies for a low carbon society
 Policy creation and implementation
For those students following up to the term portion of this module, an academic will provide guidance and
supervision through three group meetings (these will be coordinated between the academic and the group) during
the term, providing up to six contact hours.
2
Module Descriptor Template Revised October 2011
LEARNING AND TEACHING
LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TEACHING METHODS (given in hours of study time)
Scheduled Learning
36
Guided independent
114
Placement/study abroad
and Teaching activities
study
0
DETAILS OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TEACHING METHODS
Category
Hours of study time
Description
Scheduled learning and teaching
5
Before Grand Challenges Week - preparation
including meetings, lectures and training sessions.
Scheduled learning and teaching
25
Grand Challenges Week – June of Year 1 lectures, debates, and guided facilitation led by
experts, staff and PGR facilitators and
complemented by key texts and references.
Course leaders will organise and oversee group
projects.
nd
Scheduled learning and teaching
6
2 Year – Contact time will be provided through
group meetings with the group supervising
academic.
Guided independent study
15
Before Grand Challenges Week - preparatory
reading, research and reflection.
nd
Guided independent study
99
2
Year - Additional reading, research and
preparation of group output and presentation
ASSESSMENT
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT - for feedback and development purposes; does not count towards module grade
Form of Assessment
Size of the assessment
ILOs assessed
Feedback method
e.g. duration/length
Participation in daily group tasks and
Ongoing throughout Grand
Oral, group and
1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7,
discussion during Grand Challenges
Challenges Week
individual
10
Week
Continuous contribution during the
Ongoing throughout the
Oral and/or written,
2, 3, 8, 9, 10,
Autumn Term
First Term
group and individual
11, 13
Group Presentation at the end of
10-20 minutes
Grand Challenges Week
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT (% of credit)
Coursework
100
Written exams
3, 10, 12, 13, 14
0
DETAILS OF SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Form of Assessment
% of
Size of the assessment
credit
e.g. duration/length
DETAILS OF SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Form of Assessment
% of
Size of the assessment
credit
e.g. duration/length
Group Preliminary Report
10
By the end of week 12. 3
Page (max) report outlining
the objectives and with a
short description/literature
review. Expected outputs of
the project must be stated
at this point.
Group Final Report
60
By the end of week 18. 20
page group report on the
Oral, group and
individual
Practical exams
0
ILOs assessed
Feedback method
ILOs assessed
Feedback method
8, 9, 11, 12, 13
Written
1-7 ,8 ,9 ,11 ,12
,13 ,14
Written
3
Module Descriptor Template Revised October 2011
chosen topic during GC
week, describing the
design, development, and
relevance of the project
output. 40% of the
individual mark will be from
peer assessment.
Group Presentation
30
Week 20. A 30 minute
3, 5, 10, 13, 14
Written and verbal
group presentation of the
report.
DETAILS OF RE-ASSESSMENT (where required by referral or deferral)
Original form of assessment
Form of re-assessment
ILOs re-assessed
Time scale for re-assessment
Group Output
3000 word individual essay 1-14
August ref/def period
Group Presentation
Presentation slides and
3, 5, 10, 13, 14
August ref/def period
1000 word summary
RE-ASSESSMENT NOTES
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you
will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a reassessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first
attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be
required to fulfil the full reassessment criteria. The individual contribution to the module assessment is non-referable
due to its practical nature. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will count for 100% of the
final mark and will be capped at 40%.
RESOURCES
INDICATIVE LEARNING RESOURCES - The following list is offered as an indication of the type and level of
information that you are expected to consult. Further guidance will be provided by the Module Convener.
Climate Change 2007: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Fourth Assessment
Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Core Writing Team, Pachauri, R.K. and Reisinger, A.
(Eds.), IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland.
http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/publications_ipcc_fourth_assessment_report_synthesis_report.htm
Climate Change: Basic Information website. EPA United States Environment Protection Agency. September 2009.
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/basics/
CREDIT VALUE
PRE-REQUISITE MODULES
CO-REQUISITE MODULES
NQF LEVEL (FHEQ)
ORIGIN DATE
KEY WORDS SEARCH
ECTS VALUE
15
7.5
None
None
AVAILABLE AS DISTANCE LEARNING
5
NO
LAST REVISION DATE
16/07/2015
27/10/2015
Grand Challenges, Climate Change, Environment, Impact, Adaption, Mitigation,
Water, Renewable, Energy, Carbon
4
Module Descriptor Template Revised October 2011